Desert Tales

Taylor Lake

“Taylor Lake” – First in a series of articles about Picacho State Recreation Area in southeastern, California.

Taylor Lake has a boat launch but few boats.

This Taylor Lake is not even listed among common places named Taylor Lake. This Taylor Lake is close to the California/Arizona border about 25 miles north of Yuma, AZ and just west of the Colorado River. Reaching Taylor Lake is a 20+ miles back road drive from Winterhaven, CA across the varied desert terrain of the Picacho State Recreation Area and through the Chocolate Mountains, in the very south-eastern corner of California, just across the bridge from Yuma.

Part of the Drive on Picacho Road From Winterhaven (more in future posts)

Though you can hear the echo of boat motors a few miles away on the Colorado River, here the boat launch leads into what looks like a shallow swamp (politically correctly known as “wetland”).

“Wetlands”

I did not see anyone around. I got out of the truck and stood here listening to the swaying of the tall grass, distant boat motors, and hidden waterfowl.

The calmness of the moment was then shattered. In a nearby campsite, apparently hidden by a hill or the tall grass, a person could be heard dialing their cell phone. Service here?? The person was not seen, but his actions were heard.

You used to be lucky if your cell phone worked inside the walls of your own home…Now, you never know where you will get a signal or hear a ridiculously out of place ring-tone.

About Steve Reiss

Steve Reiss (www.dalmdad.com) is a patent attorney and landscape photographer living in Orange County, California. He did all the historical research, photography, and text for his first self-published book, Travel Guide to Inland Monterey County, CA. He also revised his second self-published book, A Kid's Guide to Some Critters of California (3d Ed) and has other child-focused books on animals. Steve is on flickr (www.flickr.com/dalmdad) and also has his own Photo and Travel blog (dalmdad.blogspot.com) and blog about his experiences in China and Taiwan (dalmsworld.blogspot.com).

All materials posted are copyrighted. However, Steve has a very flexible use policy as long as you contact him first.